Rx benefit card proposal

Executive Summary

Model legislation calling for use of a uniform prescription benefit card is being distributed by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the American Pharmaceutical Association and the National Community Pharmacists Association to heads of state retail associations and state boards of pharmacy. An August 1999 "White Paper" co-written by the three associations calls for pharmacy benefit management organizations to establish use of an industry-wide standard pharmacy benefit card based on the standard card format laid out by the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs. The format calls for nine mandatory fields and three optional fields, and is presently voluntary in almost all states (1"The Pink Sheet" Aug. 30, p. 13)